There are certain brands that most Americans, and even international consumers, will recognize immediately. Harley Davidson, Wendy’s and Big Boy are some major commercial chains that have distinguishable branding and signage — and they’ve all collaborated with Identicom Sign Solutions, a signage company based in Novi, Michigan.
很多品牌的标识，在美国甚至世界各地的消费者能即可辨认出来。哈雷摩托、Wendy’s（美国一家快餐连锁品牌，创立者以其女儿的名字命名，目前是美国第三大快餐连锁集团，至今已风靡全球.） Big Boy在美国是众所周知的商业品牌，他们都有自己别具一格的标牌和LOGO，他们都曾与位于密歇根州的Identicom 标识公司合作过。
So when Domino’s recently launched an aggressive rebranding-losing the “Pizza” and sticking with just “Domino’s” —the company was confident in Identicom to help with overhauling signage in order to strengthen the company’s new identity. Domino’s boldly re-visualized its logo and signage, going from a diamond sign at a 45 -degree angle, which displayed the Domino’s Pizza name,degree angle, which displayed the Domino’s Pizza name, to a 45 degree-angled domino with no name or simply a- sign saying “Domino’s.”
达美乐比萨饼店最近更换了新的标识，以前达美乐披萨店以“Domino’s Pizza”为名，现在他们的标识上只有“Domino’s”。他们公司对此次的更换标识以提高公司的品牌效益的做法很有信心。达美乐公司很大胆地采用45度的倾斜标识，以前标识上有“Domino’s Pizza”，现在只有“Domino’s”或者没有名字,只有标识。这样一来，标识主要起到宣传Domino’s这个品牌，而不像以前的“Domino’s Pizza”重在强调他们的产品披萨。
“Domino’s asked Identicom to review their (then) current specifications, and we determined that some of the materials were either outdated or more expensive, so we updated their specifications and decreased the overall cost while maintaining high-quality materials with extended warranties," says John DiNunzio, Identicom’s president.
Identicom公司的经理John DiNunzio说：“达美乐要求Identicom重新审查他们的说明书，我们发现他们使用的材料不是过时了，就是太贵了。我们修改了他们的说明书，降低了他们的成本，延长了他们的保修服务期。”
Founded more than 30 years ago, Identicom is a national signage company that provides project management, surveys, permit procurement graphic design and engineering services. The company offers a menu of signage products, including channel letters, cabinet signs, pylon signs, electronic messaging centers, monument signs, awnings and canopies, dimensional letters and interior signage. “Chains are our primary focus,” DiNunzio says. “Most of our clients have 100 to 5,000 locations and they’re either reimaging, relocating or opening up new stores.”
Identicom是一家有三十年历史的国际广告标识设计公司，提供的服务有标识设计、安装和维修等。Identicom提供一系列的标识产品，包括发光字、室内标牌、电子显示屏、纪念碑、警示牌、引导标识等。DiNunzio说：“联营企业是我们的主要客户，我们的大多数客户都有超过100个销售点的大公司，他们经常不时要更换标识就是新店开业。”
About 60 percent of Identicom’s business comes from restaurants and the rest from other commercial chains, according to DiNunzio. While Identicom prides itself on quality manufacturing, DiNunzio emphasized that collaborating with chain businesses goes beyond product satisfaction — there should be more of an effort to gain client trust and relationships. “Project Management is an area of expertise for Identicom,” DiNunzio says. “Most sign companies fabricate quality signs, but where most are weak or even fail is managing the program or project that they have been awarded.”
据DiNunzio介绍， Identicom公司60%的业务来自餐厅，其余的都是大型联营企业。当Identicom公司对自己的产品引以为豪时，DiNunzio强调和联营企业的合作最重要，我们应该在维系客户关系上下功夫。DiNunzio说：“项目管理是Identicom公司强项。很多标识公司都在强调他们的标识质量有多好，但这已经不是重点了，标识的主要作用还是宣传，而不是它的耐用性。这样的标识解决方案在项目管理方面可以说是失败的。”
For the Domino’s rebranding, Identicom provided complete turn-key services, including code research, property design layout, permitting, production, logistics and installation. Identicom has bee installing several signs at Domino’s locations, as well as wherever Domino’s might be advertised (above the pumps at a gas station in Holloman, New Mexico, for example). Domino’s incorporates several signage products into their branding. A frequently used product for the pizza company is the channel letter, which is lit from the inside while light shines through the plastic sign face.
对于达美乐的品牌重塑项目，Identicom公司提供了完整的全程解决方案，包括项目调研、标识设计、生产、运输以及安装。Identicom公司已经为Domino’s的餐厅多次安装标识了，达美乐综合多项标识产品的特点到他们的标牌上，这家披萨店经常用到的标识产品是发光字，它主要是通过内部的灯发出的五颜六色的光照亮外部的塑料材料来引起人们的注意。
“We use aluminum returns and backs,” DiNunzio explained. “We use Plaskolite plastic materials, which is typical in the sign industry; the difference is the new innovated vinyl film made by 3M 3730 series vinyl. When applied to white plastic the amount of LEDs required is approximately 30 percent less, depending on the LED population. In addition to using GE-branded LEDs, JT LEDs are being used along with Bright power supplies. The production method is typical primarily using automated channel letter-making equipment.” “By using fewer LEDs, we’ve lowered the cost on the LEDs, so if a sign requires 100 feet of LED on the overall sign, we were able to use 70 feet. It not only costs less to buy but it requires less power supply and less energy. LEDs are already very energy efficient, but we’re reducing it even further by using this 3M material,” DiNunzio says.
DiNunzio说：“在标识制作中，我们经常使用铝材，这次我们使用的是塑料材料，新型乙烯薄膜由3M 3730型乙烯加工而成。当它与白色塑料结合使用时能减少大约30%的LED灯。除了使用GE牌 LED灯之外，还有部分JT LED灯，但JT LED灯更擅长照明，主要的生产方式是使用自动发光字设备。”通过减少LED灯的数量，我们降低了成本，如果一个标识需要100英尺的LED灯条，我们只需要70英尺，这既可以节约成本又能省电。LED灯已经非常省电了，但还在通过3M的材料来减少它的数量。
Probably the most difficult part of working with chain companies, according to DiNunzio, is working with the volume of projects, from manufacturing to installation. One client could have hundreds of project locations, and so project or program management is key to ensuring a successful client relationship. “Domino’s is very demanding in looking for not just response but we need to have a quality program management department,” DiNunzio said. “Identicom has systems in place that ensures we are meeting timelines and milestones from A to Z, starting from the point they ask us to do the research and then put together the color and rendering. We’re working 200 to 400 stores at a time, and you have to keep track of every single site at every step of the way. The challenge is keeping up with multiple sites in the program at the same time.”
DiNunzio说，和联营企业合作最难的地方是有时候很难把握工程的大小，这会影响生产和安装的环节。一个客户可能会有几百个连锁店，那我们就要在几百个地点施工，所以，项目管理是维系客户关系的关键。他说：“Domino’s公司很注重标识的品牌宣传效果，我们不得不临时组件一个项目质量监控小组对其公司更换标识的宣传效果做调查。Identicom公司系统很完善，我们的项目都会按时完成，我们要同时装修200到400个连锁店，我们力求一致的标识安装效果。这也是我们面临的最大挑战。”
Potential clients can go to Identicom’s website to view the company’s method of organizing a project timeline. It begins with a customer request, research, surveys and proposals. For Identicom, the project never really ends, because the company also commits to ongoing maintenance and customer care. “Simply put, our advice is to streamline and bulletproof your program management department. If you do that then you’ll be able to run an efficient sign company,” DiNunzio says.
潜在客户可以通过Identicom’s官方网站查看达美乐的新标识。项目从顾客提出第一个要求时开始。但对于Identicom来说，项目开始之后也意味着售后服务和客户维系的开始。DiNunzio说：“简言之，我们的建议是用现代化的理念武装公司内部的项目管理人员，将品牌观念注入标识设计中，这样标识设计公司才能长久高效地运营。”
